When you are out of work and short of cash, you might be tempted to get a job fast. But, this is not always a good idea. When we are in a hurry, we often lose track of the long term goal which is to have a meaningful and rewarding career.
A smart employer doesn’t just interview two or three people. He/she/it knows that finding the perfect person takes a lot of digging around. And just because you make someone an offer doesn’t mean they will take it. Most employers make contact with 100 people to find a single employee. Not all 100 will result in interviews, but might involve a short email conversation about the job at hand. So, why should a job seeker be any different?
In order to compare multiple offers, you need to have multiple offers. It might make sense to interview at one hundred companies. That way you might get a handful of offers and pick the one that caters to your long term goals. Or, you could sell out and find something that pays well in the short run.
It might take two or three extra weeks to interview “enough” companies to get a good choice. That will seem like a long time, and the lost income will see like a lot too. But, if you are stuck fro two or three extra years at a job or company you are not happy with, that will seem like an eternity.
And one last point. A lot of job satisfaction happens when you work with people who you feel good about. Do what Warren Buffet’s buddy Charlie Munger does and do a “walk around.” Walk around the company, shake some hands, get to talking with a few people. Size them up. See if they are the types that you want to be working with in the long run or if you are just being desperate. You might be much happier in the long run doing a dull job with wonderful people rather then a dream job with nightmare coworkers! Think ahead!